The Washington critic., 1887-12-08

This permit must bo shown the cashier. who
VIII detail guides TO tako the visitor into the
great bullion chests Of the country. The old
state Department used IN be on The site occu'
pied by the northeast corner OF the Treasury,
The Rogues' Gallery and Museum of the secret
Service Bureau are on the second floor and
open TO the public. and tits and the vaults. in.
Guiding the new steel vaults for the storage Of
silver dollars, are the points of most Interest.
About $500 people are employed in this build
ing.
Department or Justice.
Immediately north Of the Treasury Building and
Just across the street Is the Department ot
Justice. This building was originally erected
as the Frccdman's Bank. The square ~ which
II is erected Is historic one. On the same
street, at the east corner, stands Riggs Bank,
which was built for the accommodation OF the
Washington branch OF tue old United States
Bank. The greater part of II IL now occupied
by the clerks oi tho Surgeon General's once.
Around the corner To the west L. the Commits
sary-General's Office, formerly the. old Wash
ington Club House, IN front of which Philip
Barton Key was shot by siekles. The tres,
under which tho dead mans body lay, Is SILL
standing although iii bark had teen com.
pletcly removed by relic hunters. AZ the north
west corner OF the square. above tho Commits
sarg.Generaps0nce, Is the house nude famous
bythe ownership OF Commodore Decatur, and
where Dolly" Madison lived and reigned so
long a social queen after her husbands term
as President expired. sixty people are en-
ployod In tho Department Of Justice.
Wnr. Navy nnd state Departments.
u
nalst tho "Triuue Building" occupies the
west side Of the Presidents reservation, imme.
dately west oi the White House The state
Department occupies the south pnrt, tie Navy
Department occupies the entire northern hair.
II n a new and very handsome structure. The
most beautiful room. in the whole building Is
conceded 10 he the library of tho State Depart
ment, with south front, from whose windows
tho eye can sweep uninterruptedly down The
Potomac to Mt. Vernon and TAR over the Vir'
rt.tt. tt... l.at tn has
Renaissance. II Is t61 feet long and 3i3 feet
wide. Its greatest height Is i2s feet, and the
flag floating over tho central portion, iiaunts IN
the breeze higher up than any other ilag In the
city. not excepting those above the Senate and
House of Representatives. The cost OF the
building was five millions OF dollars, nbout
three times as much AS the White House. he
old windcr Building. across Seventeenth street
from the west front OF THIS building, Is occu'
pied by part of the War Department, anu III
It Is the Ordnance Museum, containing relies
of the late war. especially interesting to. sol
diers. One hundred people are employed hrro
under the Secretary of State, 200 under tho
Secretary of War and 500 under the Secretary
OF the Navy.
COrcOrnn Art Gallery.
The Corcoran Art Gallery Is ut the corner of
opposite the War, Navy and State Department.
IL is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and saturdays
free; on other days Except !Sal !SSnandays( small
though not to be compared with tho great
Old World galleries. II nevertheless very
crcditable institution for so new country as
the United States. 1t contains among other
original objects Powers great statue OF the
"Greek Slave"
The weather Bureau.
The Signal Service, or Weather Bureau, Is about
one hundred yards west OF the state. Wal aud
Navy Departments, on q street. II is one of the
most interesting places In Washington To- visit.
The observtrs In charge, when ut leisure, al
ways take pleasure In showing visitors how
they "manuiucture weather.
Davy Burns Cottage.
One of the curlosl,ies of Washington is old Dnvy
Burns Cottage, on seventeenth street,near the
river. II may be reached by the drive south Of
the Presidents House or by the METROPOLITAN
or Avenue line of ears. Next door to u is
General Van Ness once stately mansion,
where lie brought his bride, Marcia Burns, one
of the original hoiresscs OF Washington.
The Naval Observatory.
To the West of the Washington Monument, on
tho highest elevation that borders the north
bank of the river, between st. Elizateth's
Heights and Gcorgetow College, stands the
Naval Observatory. The hill on which II stands
Is famous for having been the camping ground
of Washington, Braddock, and the latter's
army, when on their march 10 the fatal field,
where the English General fell Victim TO his
sef-concet and vanity. Tradition also points
out this hill as the decisive battle ground be-
tween the District Indians and the mysterious
Susquehannas. This observatory contains the
largest refracting telescope in the world, next
TO the new equatorial Just built for the Lick
Observatory. by its AID that most interesting,
II not greatest, astronomical discovery Of tho
country was made. the moons OF Mars. The en-
trance TO tho observatory Is at I and Twenty
third streets northwest. The herdic cabs go
to Twenty-second and G streets.
The Agricultural Department.
This building is situated east of the Monument.
IL is inclosed by the most beautiful and glow.
ing flower garden In the country and the
grounds contain the most complete arboretum
probably in the United States. Attached to
this Department are the Experimental Gar
dens, whose offices are Immediately west OF
past the grounds. On the first floor of the
western wing Is the library, and the second
floor OF the centre of the building devoted to an
extensive agricultural museum.
The Printing ana Engraving Bureau.
The great money mill OF the Government Is To-
Gated at the corner of Fourteenth and u
streets southwest, southeast from the Monu
ment and southwest from the Agriculture Bu.
reau. II Is reached by the Belt Line Cars,
and is opened to visitors on saturdays only.
etc, used by the Government.
The Smithsonian.
Across Twelfth street, Immediately east from
the Agricultural Department, are the smith
Grounds. The former Is u specimen Of the most
graceful architecture in the city, and the lat
ter form tho most beautiful landscape garden
are worth visit TO Washington TO see. They
contain the memorial urn to the artist who de.
signed the park, Andrew J. Downing, and the
secretary Of the Institution. The latter Is at
the northwest corner of the building; the
Downing Urn Is In the centre of the grounds,
The Smithsonian Is filled with the most varied
and interesting objects connected with science.
The building was finished 30 years ago at a cost
OF nearly half million Of dollars. This sum
lish scientist, to form an establishment for the
increase and diffusion OF knowledge among
men. The current expenses are betrayed by
the interest on the original donation. The Mu-
scum is open from 9till and Is reached by the
Seventh Street, the Ninth Street and the Belt
Line OF street cars.
The National Museum.
The National Museum Is in the Smithsonian
building. 1t contains thousands Of the most In
terestng curlosities, samples Of the life, Gus
toms aud history uf all nations. 1t Is open
daily to the public from u. IN. to 4 p. m.
Medical Museum.
The Army and Navy Medical Museum. Is on tn,
corner of Seventh and streets southwest. ad
Joining the National Museum. The buildini
was finished this year, and is In part occupied
by clerks of the Surgeon Generals Office aud
the hospital records Of the lute war. The MI
scum Is on the second floor aud Is full OF inter
esfing surgical relics OF the war. and has III,
largest medical library In the world, Among
tNe curiOsltltS WllIln It's Ndllh Is tIc afllCu
lated skeleton Of Guitcau, the assassin o
President Garfield.
The u. -. Fish Commission.
Across Seventh street from the Medical Museum
in the building known as the Old Armory, ari
the headquarters Of the U. $. Fish Commission
The building Is an old one and was Used durinl
the war as a hospital. II con, aims the mos
improved scientific appliances for fish hatchin,
and is open to the public Till p. IN.
The Botanical Gardens.
Passing eastward over the railroad bridge tina
spans sixth street an d the railroad track lead
to the d. and i. depot, and through the prett!
park lying between Maine and Missouri ave
nues the visitor comes to the entrance on Thiri
street, Just south OF Pennsylvania avenue, o